Articles tagged with Economic Anthropology
A US county-level analysis reveals a significant association between high levels of household debt and increased suicide rates during the Great Recession. Suicide rates doubled for men and tripled for adults aged 40–64 years in high-debt counties, highlighting the need for policy interventions targeting mental health impacts.
A new Oxford study documents the hidden systems of emotional control sustaining Georgia's transnational surrogacy market, where intermediaries govern emotions and discipline conduct. Most women enter surrogacy through advertising on Instagram and TikTok, while staged payments reinforce financial control over their mobility.
A Baylor anthropologist's research reveals that hunter-gatherer societies maintain equality through social pressure and demand sharing, rather than altruism. The study, which tested the Hadza population in Tanzania, found that people were more likely to take resources than give them when they had more.
Researchers analyzed 788 obsidian artifacts from the Templo Mayor, finding diverse sources of obsidian used for both ritual and everyday objects. The study suggests a complex economy that relied on conquest and active trade with rival polities.
Researchers from University of Jyväskylä recommend addressing vulnerabilities in coastal communities, such as uncontrolled shrimp farming and pollution. They suggest supporting environmentally friendly livelihoods like freshwater harvesting and agroforestry to promote sustainable development in mangrove forest areas.
Researchers found that users pay a price for free mobile apps, including reduced focus, sleep deprivation, and loss of physical contact. Users prefer to make one-time purchases to protect their privacy over using services with hidden costs.
A new study shows that belonging to age-based groups affects finances and health, with kin-based societies experiencing significant improvements in child nutrition. Researchers analyzed cash transfer programs in East Africa, finding that pension payments to seniors reduced malnourishment by 5.5% in kin-based households.
A study published in Nature Human Behaviour found that prehistoric Europeans spent on small everyday expenses more often than large ones, consistent with modern Western economies. The researchers also discovered metal fragments circulated as money around 1,500 BC, supporting the idea of a market economy from an early stage.
Research shows that wealthy countries in the Global North benefit from unequal exchange with the Global South, net-appropriating 826 billion hours of labor. This amounts to a wage value of €16.9 trillion, equivalent to half of total consumption in the Global North.
A new study suggests that ending mass human deprivation and providing good lives for the whole world's population can be achieved while reducing environmental damage. The research proposes that only 30% of current global resources and energy use are required to provide universal access to basic goods and services.
Researchers found that Chinese migrants in Los Angeles Chinatown overcame economic barriers by raising pigs and distributing pork, a practice similar to traditional South China pig husbandry. The study analyzed dental calculus on pig teeth, revealing rice as the primary food source.
The first Neolithic farmers and shepherds in Andalusia settled permanently on the island of San Fernando, Cadiz, 6,200 years ago. They collected and consumed shellfish throughout the year, with a greater exploitation during the colder months of autumn, winter, and early spring.
The mass slaughter of bison by European settlers led to devastating economic shock for Indigenous peoples, with adult height dropping by over an inch within a generation. The study also found that child-mortality rates were higher and occupation reporting lower among bison-reliant nations compared to non-bison reliant nations.
A USTC study reveals the Yangshao culture period's dominant crops were broomcorn millet, foxtail millet, and rice, with millets occupying a main position in agricultural structure. Climate change may have driven this shift around 6400 years ago.
In ancient California's San Francisco Bay Area, women played a crucial role in the economy, with mothers prioritizing their female offspring through extended breastfeeding. This practice may have led to female-biased wealth disparities, as older women were buried with greater wealth than men.
A team from Kennesaw State University is studying the cultural, historical, and health significance of artisanal alcohol production in Cabo Verde. The researchers aim to understand the economic, social, and environmental impacts of grogue production, a national liquor produced by fermenting sugar cane.
A new study suggests that the Maya people utilized market-based economies in the midwestern Guatemalan highlands over 500 years ago. The research found that local people managed access to nearby obsidian sources and developed independent acquisition networks, similar to contemporary market-based economies.
A new study from the University of Copenhagen found that at least 60 percent of Danes who promised to donate never followed through on their commitments. Digital payment solutions made it easier for people to delay donations, but also led to larger average cash contributions. Social pressure was identified as a key driver of charity gi...
Indian officials use physical closeness and digital connection to entice would-be citizens, but keep them waiting for recognition and basic welfare. Migrants experience an ambivalent welcome on arrival, with mixed affects of state performances that amplify both stature and shortcomings.
A decades-long study found that cash changed the Ju/’hoansi economy, allowing individuals to keep their earnings and fill their own needs. The study also revealed a decline in the traditional system of gifting and sharing, which had previously distributed possessions throughout communities.
High-income nations, driven by US and EU, exceed sustainable resource use thresholds by 74% globally. China ranks second in global excess material use, while low- and middle-income countries account for only 8%. Researchers call for transformative post-growth approaches to mitigate ecological breakdown.
Ancestral puebloans in Chaco Canyon thrived for over a millennium through indigenous agriculture and water irrigation, but their activities led to environmental degradation. The researchers found significant changes in the local woodlands beginning around 600 B.C., contributing to severe erosion and cropland deterioration.
A study led by George Mason University Assistant Professor Blake Silver explores how 80 college students navigate daily life amidst economic uncertainty. The research focuses on the intersection of race, class, and gender in shaping experiences with managing uncertainty.
A new paper by Michael Price and James Holland Jones suggests that economic choices can be guided by evolutionary principles, such as diversifying to reduce risk. By keeping a mix of goats and camels, a Kenyan herder increases the odds of household survival, which is essential for long-term persistence.
San communities are marginalized despite living for thousands of years, with weak land tenure protections in Botswana. In contrast, Namibia recognizes their rights through community-based natural resources management and human rights organizations play a crucial role in advocating for their welfare.
The perception of unfair economic inequality can lead to civic unrest in the US, as seen in Ireland's past protests. In contrast, despite the controversial president and global economic impacts, there are currently no large-scale demonstrations, suggesting that the 'tinder' for protests is ready to ignite
A recent Portland State University study shows that the term middle class is too simplistic to describe economic status across different countries and cultures. The study found that increases in income did not necessarily translate to reduced structural inequality in Brazil.
A new study using data from Britain found that taller people are more likely to support conservative political positions and vote for Conservative politicians. The researchers controlled for various factors, including income, cognition, and public health care, but the link between height and voting remained robust.
The University of Surrey's new CUSP center aims to explore the connection between prosperity and sustainability. The five-year program will investigate how people's aspirations for a good life intersect with environmental constraints, aiming to elaborate a vision for sustainable prosperity.
The study of flint remains found in the open-air Ametzagaina site has determined the economic territory of human groups that lived there for about 2,000 years. The researchers found that these groups exploited flint outcrops on both sides of the Pyrenees, shaping their territory like a sandglass.
Recent studies suggest that prehistoric pastoralist societies in Eurasia developed distinct economies and triggered the formation of extensive networks of interaction. These 'nonuniform institutional complexity' models describe how small-scale institutions impact wider-scale political economies and shape the growth of great empires.
The construction of roads in isolated villages disrupts traditional information flow patterns, leading to changes in economy and social life. As a result, inhabitants adapt their subsistence strategies and environmental management, resulting in significant transformations.
Conservationists should consider prehistoric records to make informed decisions about animal reintroductions. R. Lee Lyman, a University of Missouri anthropologist, warns that the southeastern Ozarks may not be suitable habitat for elk due to food and terrain issues.
Migrant domestic workers face exploitation and social exclusion in Sweden's formal labor market. The report highlights the dual consequences of tax deductions on processes of inclusion and exclusion. Key findings reveal the persistence of informal services despite tax deductions and the vulnerability of undocumented migrant workers.
Researchers analyzed data from 43 estimates of family wealth inheritance to find that technologies producing a society's livelihood are key factors in financial inequality. In contrast, hunter-gatherer societies exhibit lower levels of economic inequality due to the transferability of wits and social connections.
Researchers found that material possessions are easily passed on, while social networks and foraging abilities are harder to transmit. Societies with a strong emphasis on material wealth tend to be the most unequal.
A new study led by Anna Dreber and Coren Apicella found that men with higher testosterone levels invest more in risky investments. The researchers discovered a correlation between testosterone levels and financial risk-taking behavior, which may be linked to evolutionary factors.
Research by Marina de Regt reveals that migrant women from the Horn of Africa are driven to improve their families' lives, but often endure low status, long hours, and abuse in Yemen. The documentary sheds light on the resilience of these women and promotes awareness about their living and working conditions.
In a study, chimpanzees were confronted with a simplified version of the ultimatum game. Unlike humans, they accepted any nonzero offer, whether it was unfair or not. The researchers conclude that chimpanzees do not show a willingness to make fair offers and reject unfair ones.
Researchers found that young women in Cameroon view their life as random, while those in rural Thailand consider the sex industry an option. In Hong Kong, a successful women's movement secured inheritance rights for indigenous women through public framing of their stories as human rights violations.
Acheson's work uses rational choice theory to understand how groups develop rules to conserve resources, with applications to managing other threatened natural resources. He is recognized for his contributions to applied anthropology and public policy.
The ESRC Social Science Week conference explores the Sahara's past, present, and future, highlighting the impact of Western and local military intelligence services on indigenous peoples. Jeremy Keenan claims increasing evidence shows military agencies fabricate terrorist incidents, putting Tuareg lives at risk.
Ancient societies successfully transformed their environments through slow, incremental changes to living, labor, agricultural, and water collection/distribution practices. In Bali, Indonesia, centuries-old environmental/cultural/religious practices remain functional, highlighting the complexity of human ecology in ancient landscapes.
A new study by Yale anthropologist Harvey Weiss suggests that abrupt climate changes played a significant role in past societal collapses. The research analyzed recent archaeological and paleoclimatological data to understand the impact of natural climate events on human societies.
The conference aims to rethink old paradigms on work and family policies, focusing on quality of life beyond economic correctness. Confirmed participants include experts from Greece, US, New Zealand, India, Belgium, Sweden, Tanzania, and Hungary.
Researchers analyzed obsidian blades from workshops in Mexico, finding that the number and type of mistakes made can indicate a craftsman's level of skill. By ranking workshops according to their aggregate skill, archaeologists can better understand the economic complexity of ancient societies.